NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Legendary country group Diamond Rio celebrated its milestone 20th Anniversary as a Grand Ole Opry member with an appearance on the Opry Friday night at the Grand Ole Opry House. Diamond Rio was inducted into the Opry family on April 18, 1998 becoming the first group since The Whites, who joined in 1984, to receive Opry membership. Diamond Rio was inducted into the family by Opry members Little Jimmy Dickens and Porter Wagoner.
Diamond Rio’s Dana Williams said of the importance of Opry membership, “I have all these memories of the Opry, and then to think that we’ve become members of this institution, it’s overwhelming. It still is to this day.”
Fellow Opry member Craig Morgan introduced the band Friday night and opened his segment of the show with a portion of the group’s 1995 release “Bubba Hyde.” The group reprised the song during its portion of the show, also performing two of its No. 1 hits, “Meet in the Middle” and “One More Day.”
Diamond Rio is scheduled to return to the Opry May 18. Among other performers coming soon to the Opry and Opry Country Classics are Luke Combs, Vince Gill, Brenda Lee, Aaron Lewis, Patty Loveless, Oak Ridge Boys, Old Crow Medicine Show, Eric Paslay, Charley Pride, Rascal Flatts, Marty Stuart, Tanya Tucker, Brett Young, and Chris Young. Tickets are available at (615) 871-OPRY and opry.com.